Whether you’re an experienced digital marketing bprofessional-looking to upskill or you’ve decided to try your hand at a new career in the field, it’s always a good idea to have a road map to figure out how to further develop your skills.
Let’s take a look at eight ways to improve your digital marketing skills.
Practice on Your Channels
We’ve all heard that old phrase “practice makes perfect.” One surefire way to help improve and practice your digital marketing skills is to create a website or blog for yourself (or help out a friend!) and use it to test out different strategies. Using yourself as a guinea pig and implementing various strategies as well as comparing what works and what doesn’t will help you when the stakes are higher. A blog or website of your own gives you a chance to work on content marketing skills, drill down on the ins and outs of email marketing, and/or master search engine optimization. Additionally, practicing on your channels gives you the freedom to learn from any mistakes you make, and helps you figure out which strategies might work better for future clients or employers.
You can also practice digital marketing skills on your social media platforms. Create a Facebook business account and begin creating content. See what resonates, what people respond to, and what never takes off. Ready to dive into video marketing? Start a YouTube account and press record. Creating low-risk, hands-on opportunities for yourself is incredibly beneficial for improving your digital marketing skills.
Develop Your Unique Brand
Testing out digital marketing strategy across your channels provides another opportunity: the chance for you to develop your individual brand. If you think you don’t need one, think again. No matter if you’re hanging up your shingle or choosing to work for a larger company, establishing a personal brand is good for visibility. It’s a way to establish yourself and stand out in the crowd.
Think long and hard about what makes you different. What makes your content special? What are some ways that you can connect with your followers and build your brand?
Whether you’re creating original content or sharing someone else’s, remember that everything you post contributes to your brand aesthetic. Have fun with it! Whether you’re focusing on content that defines you or choosing brand-specific colors, filers, and themes, make sure it’s consistent so that new and potential followers can recognize your brand no matter what.
Utilize Analytics & Other Tools to Get Ahead
One heartening thing about a career in digital marketing is that you don’t have to go it alone. Knowing which digital marketing tools to use to help execute your strategy is half the battle! Some tools can help you stay on track with timing by creating a calendar and posting content on a schedule. Another invaluable (and free!) tool is Google Analytics. Digital marketing professionals can use GA to gather demographic information about their target audience and see how visitors to their website, blog, or social media accounts behave. There are also design tools like Canva and Filtertune that can help with aesthetics and make your content look gorgeous even if you’re not a Graphic Designer. Understanding what kinds of options exist and how to utilize them to work for you can help improve your digital marketing skills.
Stay Current with Industry Trends
Digital marketing is a fast-moving field, and it’s important to stay on top of what’s happening in the field If there’s a social media platform or online phenomenon trending (here’s looking at you, TikTok!), there’s probably an opportunity for digital marketing. Knowing how and on which platforms to reach the greatest number of people within a target audience is a critical element of any digital marketing strategy. Being in touch with what is current across the digital landscape will help your success no matter the channel.
Websites like Search Engine Roundtable, which offers news and updates on the digital marketing industry as a whole, the Content Marketing Institute, an industry-standard when it comes to content marketing news and information, and the Google Blog, which provides up-to-date information on all things Google-related are all resources to keep you apprised of new developments in this fast-changing industry.
Locate Your Skill Gaps
Sometimes staying on top of current trends can help you identify where you can improve. Admitting where you’re strong and what part of your skill set needs work can help add to your digital marketing toolbox. Not sure what you’re lacking? Do some digging—both externally and within yourself. Considering what might earn you more money or what is desirable for future employers or clients is also a good place to start. Learning about new tools, figuring out where you can use some extra practice, and leaning in to where you struggle will make you a stronger candidate overall.
Study Successful Digital Marketers & Find a Mentor
Paying close attention to experts in your field and even mimicking their strategies can be a good way to improve your digital marketing skills until you feel more confident in your abilities. There is nothing wrong with taking notes on industry experts’ strategies and even applying their experienced-based techniques to your own.
In addition to learning from well-known digital marketing or niche professionals, be sure to take any opportunity to network with others in the industry. The American Marketing Association is a great organization for those looking to network and/or find a mentor. Membership provides access to free training, certifications, events, and can match you with experts in your field.
Creating a community is a powerful helping hand in what can often feel like a solitary career path. Another good idea is to find a mentor. As with many industries, who you know can often lead to more professional opportunities than what you know. The larger and more diverse your network, the more opportunities you’ll have to find work, community, and opportunities for collaboration.
Dial-in Your Specialty
When it comes to dialing in your digital marketing expertise, embrace the T-shaped model. The T-shaped concept means having a broad understanding of a field as a whole and then cultivating a deep understanding of certain elements within that field. When it comes to digital marketing, knowing how the industry works is important because it provides context and overall understanding, but trying to master every channel at once can be overwhelming, not to mention extremely difficult. It’s not necessary to be an expert in every single one.
As your familiarity and understanding of various channels grow, you can always add more skills to your digital marketing toolbox. While exploring the digital marketing landscape, see what stands out to you! What do you enjoy working on? What comes naturally to you? And then learn everything you can. There are plenty of free resources online to help improve your skills. Even better, you can enroll in training classes that can help fast-track the learning process and jump-start your new career.
Enroll in Digital Marketing Classes And/or Get a Certification
One of the best ways to improve your digital marketing skills in a short period is to enroll in a digital marketing class or bootcamp. Noble Desktop’s digital marketing courses teach skills that can help broaden your skills and prepare you for a career in the industry. Those ready to dive into the field can attend in-person classes at Noble Desktop’s New York City location or attend live online digital marketing courses from anywhere in the world. You can also find other digital marketing courses, bootcamps, and certificate programs in your area using Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool. Additionally, Noble Desktop offers more detailed courses for those looking to hone their skills on specific channels such as Facebook Marketing, email marketing, Social Media Content Marketing: Blogs & X (formerly known as Twitter), and Video Marketing: TikTok & YouTube, among others.
Those who are interested in pursuing certification can look into Noble Desktop’s 78-hour Digital Marketing Certificate, which delves deeper into each aspect of digital marketing including developing an end-to-end marketing strategy through hands-on classes where you work on your business or company as a project. Students even have the chance to retake the course for free for one year. Upon completion of the Digital Marketing Certificate, graduates will receive an official certificate testifying to their mastery of the curriculum. You are then able to share your certificate online with your followers and friends, post it to your professional network on LinkedIn, and/or include it in your portfolio so that potential employers and future clients will know you have a deep and comprehensive understanding of digital marketing skills across the board.